And they face the prospect of having to play three of those final four matches, including a tricky trip to Uruguay, without Lionel Messi due to a suspension he received for comments towards a match official in the 1-0 win over Chile last month.

The first game of Messi's ban saw Argentina lose 2-0 to Bolivia in what proved to be Bauza's final game in charge.

Sevilla coach and former Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli is seen as the top candidate to replace Bauza, and Menotti, who guided Argentina to World Cup glory in 1978, wants the appointment to be made as soon as possible.

Writing in Spanish publication Sport, Menotti said: "It seems to me that the AFA [Argentine Football Association]has a great urgency to decide who will be the new coach. And a month more, a month less in this instance is very important.

"If you lose to Uruguay in qualifyingin August, whoever is the coach, the situation is going to be dangerous."

Both the AFA and Sampaoli denied reports of a meeting between the two parties, leaving Menotti to criticise the national governing body for a lack of clarity.